Oiva Toikka (b.1931) is one of the great personas of Finnish glass design. His imaginative, rich and bold glass art is a departure from mainstream Nordic design. Oiva Toikka’s individual style is also evident in the utility objects he creates as they often deviate from the traditional clean-lined puritanism of Finnish design aesthetics. In addition to glass, his artistic activities cover staging, fashion design and plastic interior design elements.

Oiva Toikka has gained a solid international reputation throughout his prolific career, which dates back to the 1950s, having worked with well-known designers and artists both in Finland and abroad. He has won several prestigious awards including the Kaj Franck Design Prize and the Prince Eugen Medal. In 1993, Oiva Toikka was given the honorary title of Professor of the Arts by the state of Finland. Birds by Oiva Toikka, a series designed for Iittala combines the artist’s limitless imagination with his expertise in the characteristics of glass. The unique and colorful birds, which are all handmade, have become the passion of collector’s worldwide.

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Kastehelmi collection

Oiva Toikka, 1964

The name ‘dewdrop’ refers to the circles of bubbles in the pressed glass. Inspired by Finnish nature, the dewdrops glisten like a string of pearls on grass in the morning sun. Oiva Toikka’s love for experimentation led to the creation of an entirely new droplet design for Kastehelmi. The resulting surface structure brings out the living, reflective beauty of the glass.